Page 48 of The Duke's Auctioned Spinster
“I… I… would be a fool if I did not. I cannot think of a finer gentleman in London than Edmund,” Rose replied, feeling a shudder in her heart as she lied.
“My ears are burning,” Edmund said as he stepped out from behind a group of people nearby. Rose’s heart sank, and a look of horror crossed her face. Uneasy tingles spread across her shoulders and arms, and at that moment, all she wanted was for the floor to open up and swallow her whole. “It is wonderful to know that I am held in such high esteem,” he added.
Clara brightened when Edmund arrived. She reached up and took Edmund’s hand, widening her eyes.
“Edmund, will you spin me later at the dance floor?”
“Of course, Clara, you know I always have time for you,” Edmund said.
“Come, Clara, I wish to speak to your mother,” Lydia said, although Rose knew that Lydia was just using this as an excuse to give Edmund and Rose a moment alone. She took Clara’s hand. Clara pouted and craned her neck back to look at Edmund for as long as possible.
“I didn’t mean it,” Rose said quickly.
“That there is no finer gentleman in London? Of course, I am sure you misspoke. You must have meant that there is no finer gentlemanin the world.”
Rose’s brow furrowed, but she quickly hid the scowl when she saw Amelia out of the corner of her eye, knowing it was unbecoming of a lady to scowl like that.
It was the first time in a long while that she cared about what others thought.
“No, I meant about marriage. I am just keeping up appearances for the sake of your family.”
“I see, and here I thought that we were not supposed to speak about marriage. Have you forgotten your own rules already?” Edmund said in a circumspect manner, and she feared that he did not fully believe her. Moreover, she worried that the more she pressed the matter, the more unconvincing she would be.
Rose blushed and stammered, annoyed that he had called her out on this transgression.
“Well,” Edmund continued, “you can rest assured that no proposal shall be delivered tonight.”
“Good,” Rose said, although the feelings in her heart were confused. She could not distinguish between hope and fear. She also noticed that he only mentioned tonight, not the rest of the party. “By the way, is there something… off with Clara?”
“Off? No, she’s harmless. She just has a good sense of who she is, that’s all. She’s always preferred the company of adults. I think she believes that children her age are too silly for her.”
“I see.”
“And how are you enjoying yourself?”
“I am well, thank you. It seems everyone is in good spirits, and you have certainly created an occasion people will remember. I can’t remember the last time my parents were enthused about attending a social event.”
“And yourself? I hoped to show you that it is not social events themselves that are boring, but just that dreary people throw dreary parties. We have barely begun,” Edmund said. “Speaking of which…”
He turned around and loudly clapped his hands to get people’s attention. He shouted at the top of his lungs for attention, which might have seemed quite crude if Edmund had not performed the act so naturally.
The cacophony of chatter died down quickly. People huddled together, some of them excitedly, like her parents. Rose had felt the stares weighing upon her all night and had tried to ignore the fragments of conversations she had overheard. Plenty of people were speculating about the nature of their relationship and whether these occasions would shift from obligation to romance.
As she noticed everyone staring at her with expectant looks in their eyes, Rose felt an unsettling feeling in her heart. She clasped her hands tightly together, and her breathing became shallow. She had an eerie feeling that Edmund’s words were designed to disarm her, and now he might go in for the kill. Now,he might turn and ask the question she was dreading, for how could she ever say ‘no’ in front of so many people?
Has this entire party been designed to trap me like this?
“I would now like to propose,” Edmund said, and Rose thought that she was going to faint, “that we all adjourn to the dining room where a grand feast awaits. Eat as much as you like, but be sure to leave room for cake!” he said, and promptly started ushering people toward the dining room.
Rose breathed with relief.
There was one grand table in the dining room, along with some smaller tables nearby, and somehow all the guests were able to sit comfortably. The room was alive with the clinking of cutlery, wine sloshing in glasses, and a comfortable, relaxed conversation.
Platters of food were brought out, so much so that everyone’s eyes popped, and Rose felt gorged by the sight of it.
“I couldn’t possibly eat this much,” Amelia said.
Rose chatted happily with Lydia and Charlotte. Nathaniel spoke most with Alfred, while Beatrice and Agatha were occupied with Amelia. There was an empty chair beside Rose, reserved for Edmund, although he did not settle.
